NORFOLK, Va. - Michael Perez hit an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift Old Dominion University baseball to a 4-3 victory over Rutgers in game one Sunday evening at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. Rutgers won game two 17-7.

The Monarchs got on board first with a run in the bottom half of the first as Jordan Negrini drove in Austin McGowan with an RBI single.

Rutgers tied the score in the third on an RBI single from Pat Sweeney but ODU stormed right back with a pair of two-out runs in the fifth inning.

McGowan delivered a lead-off single but after two-straight outs was still on first base until Ben Slaton crushed a double to center field to score McGowan from first. Joey Burney followed with a single to right field to score pinch-runner Brian Beard for the 3-1 lead.

The Scarlet Knights came right back to tie the game with RBI singles from Steve Zavala and Charlie Law.

The score remained tied until the eighth inning. Ben Verlander knocked a pinch-hit triple to right center to lead off the inning and Perez delivered a single up the middle for the game-winning run.

Brandon Smith got the final two outs for his first save of the year.

McGowan and Negrini had two hits apiece to lead the ODU attack while Sweeney and Law each had two hits for Rutgers.

The Scarlet Knights scored five runs in the first and five in the fourth en route to a 17-7 victory in game two.

Nick Favatella went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and Vinny Zarillo was 4-for-5 with three runs and two RBI to lead Rutgers.

Ross Costello got RU started with a grand slam in the first but ODU came back to score two runs in the second and three in the third to cut the deficit to 6-5.

In the second, ODU received RBI hits from Perez and Pat Kane while in the third Connor Myers knocked an RBI double while Kane added a two-run single.

The Scarlet Knights pushed the lead to 11-5 with a five-run fourth and added four more in the sixth inning.

Perez, Myers and Kane had two hits apiece for the Monarchs. Jeff Melillo and Costello combined for 10 RBI for RU.

ODU returns to action on Tuesday, Feb. 26 when they travel to Richmond.